Lumber retrimming machine



Y Jan. 17, 1933.

A. H. oNsTAD 1,894,415

LUMBER RETRIMMING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1932 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 gru/venlo@ Jah. 17, 1933. A. H.' oNsTAD LUMBER RETRIMMING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18. 1932 'T Sheets-Sheet 2 gmx/nto@ Hlwad om. 6E

Jflberl' Jan. 17, 1933. A. H. oNs'rAD LUMBER RETRIMMING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18", 1932 fr sheets-sheet 5 31a/vento@ lbeflf IZSIUd @gw M W Jan. 17, 19,33. A, H, ONSTAD 1,894,415

LUMBER RETRIMMING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 19:57.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 mento@ ,//berfff @mami MQ'MAW Jan. 17, 1933.` A, H, ONSTAD 1,894,415

LUMBER RETRIMMING MACHNE Filed Jan. 18, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 U il f 11C/baffi. 0mm/d Jan.- 1 7, 1933. A. H. oNsTAD u LUMBER RETRIMMING MACHINE 7 sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 18, 1932 NwWH/ l a. n xm. GMW m m @wm Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNITED STA TES"` PATENT OFFICE i ALBERT H. ONSTAD, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOB, WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY, OIE TACOMA, WASHINGTON, `A. CQPORATION OF VVIASHINGTON v LUMBER RETRIMMING MACHINE Application filled January 18, 1932, .Serial No. 5187,1,98.`

My invention relates to a device intended to be disposed inthe path through which lumber is carried inoperations such as plan- *y Y, ing and grading, or in any like operation, by 'zmeans of which device the lumber in its passage has the two ends of each board trimmed square across and adefinite distance apart, and by means of which, if the mill operator desires, `a distinguishing mark ymaybelplaced upon the trimmed end of the lumber'.

There are a number of reasons why it is desirable to perform these operations. Naturally, it is oi advantage to the purchaser'to 4v,know that the lumber he buys is exact ,dmension, and that the ends are` precisely squared off rather than left rough and uneven as cut by the original cross-cut saw. From the standpoint of they mill man, it gives the lumber a better' and more nished appearan'ce, and creates the impression of fresh- 1 ness which -sometimes is marredvby old, seasoned ends remaining upon the boards. .It enables him to mark each piece with a suits able mark-for instance, a grade mark or ay 'trade-mark-whereby the purchaser may know the source of the lumber and may know" the standard mill grading, and vcannot be induced to purchase lower grade lumber `as Ai.of higher grade. y It is the general object, then, to provide a machine which will enable the s accomplishment of the above advantages, and, further, to provide `a machine for such a purpose Vwhich can be so interposed in the -path '35 through which the lumber must necessarily travel that thevdelivery of lumber is little if any impeded, and its handling by hand is not required.

It is an object to devise a trimming and anism except when there is a board inpvosi-l tion to be printed. 'l .Y

i It isa-n object to provide in such a machine a means which will insure the lifting of the saw from its operative or trimming position prior to the shifting of that saw in'adjusting foi-the trimming of boards of a'length` differenty from/that which had theretofore been trimmed. Y 'Y A- It is an object to provide simplecontrolsfor the several adjustments, and to assemble such controls at a single locatiomsothat one operator may make the necessary adjus'tl ments from one station, and it is thereby made unnecessary to communicate between operators at different positions, over and.V v

above the noise of va planer mill.

V'It is an object to provide yanautomatic con# trol so that the machine will not feed lumber through the trimming and printing stations faster than the mechanisms there can handle it, and which will adjust itself automatically to compensate for a slower feed rate.l y

Many further obj ects of my invention will become ,apparent as the description pro#- gresses, and all of the various objects ofthis invention may be achieved by constructions varying from that illustrated inthe drawings, which latter construction is' aty present preferred me,'but itwillbe understood that my invention is not restricted to the construction shown and described, except vas re-Y quired -b'y limitationsfin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, therefore, I have kshown myinvention embodied in an illustrative form such asis at presentpreferred by me. i

My invention comprises the noyel parts, the Y novel combination thereof, and thenovel .arrangement fof parts relative yto yone another and to other apparatus, all as is shown Ain the.

v drawings, described in kthis specification, .and

more particularly pointed out by ,the claims.

Figure 1 is a general plan view of themachine embodying my invention.

Figure '2 is a side elevation of my machine.

rFigure 3 is an end yelevation thereof look-v ing into'the magazine, and Figure 4 is a deloo' v60. of the magazinma buffer member 3Q is pro,-

, tail of the magazine showing a slightly modiin inoperative position, and Figuref? is aA similar view on a larger scale, showing the printing mechanism in the act of printing.

Figure 8 is .a diagrammatic vshowing a certain safety or stop mechanisms controlling the withholding from operation of the printy ing mechanism; Figure 9 is a second diagram illustrating the mechanisms of Figure 8 and further control mechanism for the printing devices, and FigureV 10 is an elevation of adetail of Figure 9.

. Figurell is .a diagrammatic view of an automatic control governing the starting and stopping of thel machine in accordance with the rate at which boards are fed into the machine. i Y

VReferring rst to Figures l, 2 and 3, the device essentially comprises an adjustable saw-l and a fixed saw l0 supported upon suitable frame members (the saw lbeing adj ustable axially toward and from the saw 10) a magazine 3 within'which lumber is received by endwise movement froml any suitable mechanism, typified by` the planer P, and from which it is discharged by conveyor 5 chains 7 so that it moves edgewise, the lowermost board of the pile inthe magazine being fed out and additional boards being supplied upon the top of the pile. Moved by the conveyor 7` and vpositioned thereby precisely transverselyof the direction of movement, the boardsare carried in turn past the saws l and 10, which have been adjusted to vthe precisel length to which theV lumber is to be trimmed, and the two ends are thereby 'lgtrimmed ofi".v Thereafter there will usually be employed a printing mechanism indicated generally at 4 and-duplicated, if desired, at the opposite end, whereby a suitable mark is imprinted upon the freshly trimmed endsof (igeachboard as it passes..A The lumber may Y then be discharged to a grading table, or any other suitable conveyor, typified at G, where.V

it is graded, sorted, ,or otherwise advanced along its path of movement, ultimately to'be :pile'd'and shipped. Y

As has been mentioned, the boards are fed endwise into the magazine 3, and in order to stop the boards sov that their trailing ends stopapproximately adjacent the entrance end vided at the far end of thefmagazine, supported upon-parallel links 31 from a slide or traveler 32 which is movable along one of the frame members 9 extending transversely' of the trimming machine-that is to say,vparall lel to the-length of the board. This buffer member 30 is of considerable weight, and the leading ends of the boards, if they have suflicient momentum, will strike it and deflect it slightly, but will be caused to lose their momentum thereby, and will drop in the magazine, If their momentum has previously been absorbed by friction with the previously fed board beneath the trailingends,fed forward by the feed devices associated with the planer, and moving from the level P to a lower level within the magazine (depending upon the'height to which boards are piled,fbut to the possible low level ofthe frame members 90which extend at right angles'to lthe members 9 .and considerably below the same), will drop adjacent the entrance end of the magazine. The

saw at this end, then, may be Xed in `posi'- tion, and the opposite saw adjustable, to- Y gether with the buer 30,v

The sidesof the magazine are'determined bythe verticalwalls 33 and 34, the latter of which at least is adjustablel to accommodate boards of different widths. r Itis also adjustable in height, so that the spacing between its lower edge and the top of the frame mem- Y bers 90, upon which the boards move edgewise, can be varied to permit the' delivery of one board only in each4 instance,1what'ever may be the thickness of the boards being run through. f

To accomplish adjustment of the magazine for boards of different thickness, the wall 34 1 is supported by arms ihaving attheir upper ends al sleeve 36, by means ofwhich it is hung from a short "shaft 83:s`upported` upon the frame members 9. At their lower i ends these arms 35 are pivotally connected at 37,1to the wall 34, and these arms all being equal, the board is in eHect supported by parallel links. v lNew by swinging these links,

vthe bottom edge ofthe board may be raised orlowered, and to do this a link 38, Vconnected at oneend to the wall 34, isshortened or lengthened by threaded engagement ofY a rotatable nut 39, supported by an extension 351k on one of the arms 35. Operation offV this nut is controlled by a handle 390. The wall 34 is maintainedragainst deflection from itsY v own plane by reason of the Vemploymentlof a spur 35'0fwhich `extends beyond the pivot 37 tostiffen and strengthen'the wall.

Adjustment of the magazine for width is accomplished by engaging each sleeve 36 be! tween collars 830 fixed on the several shafts 83, and by providing means for simultaneously and equally sliding these shafts 83 transversely of the magazine 3..v For instance,l

one end ofthe shaft may be keyed asindicated at 831, this keyed end being held4 in Va slotted boXor guide 832,*and an intermediate portion of'each shaft is Vslidable in a'guide 833. kTheend of each shaft opposite the key 831 has rackteeth `834with which is engaged e rakipnien 835-, These Pillene efe. Carried upon the longitudinal shaft 836 journaled in suitable bearings 837 carried by one. of the frame members 9. Rotation of the shaft 836,k

Y wise movement of the` arm 35 and the maga- "-a manner similar to that zine wall 34 supported therefrom. Each adjustment, then, transversely or for height, may be accomplished independent of the other adjustment. Y v

Adjustment of the magazine for length is accomplished, as has been indicated, by shifting the buffer member 30.` The slide 32'which supports this buffer slides along a flange of one of the frame members 9, as has been indicated, and is controlled forV movement lengthwise of this frame member and lengthwise of the magazine 3, by means such as the chain or cable 84 passing over pulleys 84() and 841. The pulley 840 is upon ashaft 842 journaled between frame members 9, upon which is a pulley 843 Connecting by a Vchain or like member 844 finally to a control shaft 81 with its hand wheel 810. By these or like means the buffer 30 can be drawn toward yor movedl from the planer P to accommodate boards of different lengths. Naturally, all boards sent through at one time would be approximately the-same length, as they would also have to be of the same width and thickness. i

Adjustment ot the saw 1 to trim boards of different lengths may be accomplished in described for the buEer .30, and preferably it is controlled by the same means, namely, the shaft 81 and its hand wheel 810. The saw is journaled in a head 1,20 carried cal slide 12. This slide 12 is guided for vertical movement in guides 21 supported from a carriage 2. The carriage is supported upon wheels 20 whereby it may move along tracks 91 supported from adjacent 'frame members f v9. Likewise supported upon the carriage 2 is a suitable means of raising the slide 12, illustra-tive in this instance as the known hydroelectric operator 23. In effect, this is a device enabling` theprojection of a piston rod or rods 24 under hydraulic pressure generated by electrical means within the member 23, so that a cross head 25 is raised or lowered at will, and controlled by a push button. Controlled by movement of this cross head 1 'is a rod or rods 22 extending downward to a connection'with the vertical slide 12. By such means the head 120 and saw 1 are raised and lowered. A motor 14 for rotating the saw 1 is carried on the head 120.

Lengthwise movement of the carriage 2 may be effected by connecting to it a chain or cable 821 running from a pulley or sprocket 822 on the shaft `81 and over a return sprocket or pulley 823 at the opposite end of the machine, this chain orpulleyconnecting `ber be only cut at so that the different lengths vary. by precisely to a pulley 845, leadingV at the lower end of a verti` f operates.

tothe carriage 2. lcarriage and of the bufferA is .controlled by the single shaft 81. j

f It is essential that movement of'these elements be prevented except at the will ot the operator. It is also desirable that the lumgiven intervals of length,

or whatone foot or by precisely six inches,

Accordever variation is deemed desirable. ingly, members 9 and tracks 91,1 may provide a plate 911 which is notched at intervals, as indicated at 912, and to the vertical slide 12 I connect a tapered finger 15 which movesl with the vertical slide, this fin-A up and, down lger 15 being formed to fit into the several notches 912, andwhenseated in such a notch to hold the carriage 2 against adjustment. When thefinger is thus engaged the saw 1 is in operative position with respect to. lumberl moving over the frame members 90, and since the finger 15 must be withdrawn upwardly,

of the saw to a new topermit adjustment thatfthe saw will be position, this insures `drawn upwardly to clear the frame members 90 and an hing which may rest thereon during such adjustment of the saw, for the finger 15l projects downwardly so far that it will only clearthe plate 911when the saw has been thus raised.

The device as thus far explained may be considered complete in itself, and will operate to trim the two ends of lumber as the lumber is advanced by the transverse chains,

belts or conveyors 7 extending over the pulleys and 71, and having spaced lugs 72 upstanding above the upper level of the frame members to engage the boards and drag them one by one from beneath the pile in the magazine past the saws 1 and 10. However, it is desirable that there be provided means for printing a mark upon the newly cutends of the boards, and such printing mechanism can readily be associated and movable with the carriage 2. i

The printing die 4 is suitably supported from a slide 40, which may be slidable upon the plate In order to control movemento' the printing device it may be coupled, secured or ber which is rigid therewithfor instance,

a bolt 42 may be employed to secure together the two.

The printing die is normally held retract-` ed by suitable to be. projected rapidly forward at such time as it will strike the trimmed end of a board .equidistant from its Thus .movement of the in connection with one of the frameV 911 Vwith which the finger l5 colinked'to the carriage 2 or a mem.

etil

two edges, whereupon it is immediately withi drawn. The striking and withdrawing must be so rapid and positive that, even though the board is'traveling transversely to the direction vof movement ofthe printing die,

Vboard B in the magazine 3.

4o may, because of its flexibility, tend to sag theref is Vno tendency todrag or blur, nor to strike repeatedly.. A= combination of mechanical and electrical control vmeans has been found suitable for the purpose. The melchanical means-a spring for instanceinay cause the striking action, and the electrical means-magnet or solenoid-may accomplish the withdrawal, or, as shown herein, the reverse may be the case.`

VThus, as illustrated, the printing die 4v` is-normally held retracted by a spring 41',

but is guided ior horizontal movement in a guideV 400 formed at thelower end of the slide 40. At the end `opposite the printing end the die has a cross pin 43 with which is engageable an arm 44 carrying an armature 441. The arm 44 is pivoted at 440 g-supported in position to attract the armature 441,

is an electromagnet 45. Y

An 'ink pad 46 is supportedjby links/47 and 48, the one upon the member 40 and the other connect-ed -to the slidabledie 4, so that upon projection of the printing die 4to the lett, as seen in Figures 6 and 7, the ink pad 46 will be raised from its path to permit it to -charged from the planer P or as delivered endwise by vany suitable mechanism, drops from the level p to the level of the upper and to be. obstructed by the frame members 90, and it is not desirable to provide a smooth surfaced table, because sawdust, chips, splinters, and the like may get beneath the boards and cause them to tail to register preperly with the magazine parts,- especially the wall 34. However, by lproviding inclined plates 92 upon each oft theV frame members 90,

spaced trom the adjacent trame member, thev sagging end of the board will ride on these inclined plates 92, and will ultimately drop from the level into the magazine. Its lead- Y ing end will contact with the bilder member 30,7provided the board has sulicient momentum vwhen it drops from the level p. `erably several boards are piled up in this Fretmanner before any one of them is discharged,

' and means to this end will be explained here-r` after.

The conveyor chains 7 are then started, under manual or automatic control as will be. explained) ,the magazine wall 34 having been lirst adjusted to the proper height tov permit discharge of one board only, and the lugs 7 2 0n the several chains?, engaging the bot tom board simultaneously at spaced points,

Vchains 7,

-the left, as viewed draw this board from beneath the pile in the magazine and startit on its kway edgewiseV along the frame members 90. Such a board is illustrated by the board B in Figure 3. Should it stick inthe opening, automatic means to be describedl later'stops the chains. the trimming Each board is carried past station, where are located the saws vll and l0. The latter is fixed and trims the end of the board which Ywas nearest the planer P. The saw l had been adjustedl in accordance with the length ofboard tobe operated upon, and

trims the former leading end. The board* without a stop, bothA continues past the saws saws operating simultaneously so that 'there is no teiidencyto cock the board sidewise.

fiiother board B2 Vfollows immediately theV comes opposite board B, and the board B the printing die at 4. Suitable controls, to

be explained hereafter, energize the magnet die 4 starts toward-the 45, and the printing end et the board, or toward both ends if two are employed, and the freshly trimmed ends of the board are stamped with the matter prepared upon the die 4. It is not neces-r sary toalialt the movement of theboard to accomplish this, since the movement of the die towards and ltrom the board is quiteV rapid, and the contactis only momentary. The boardk then continues past the printing station and Ionto a grader table G, or any other suitable conveyor, and piled. and requires no attention,

nor is anyappreciable time lostiii the handling of the boards between the planer and the grader table. Y Y l ln order that the boards may not cock and stick inthe magazine, it may be desirable to employ a jogging means, such as is illustrated reciprocable pins or rods, positioned sothat they will engage even the most narrow board received in the frame accomplish this timing a pulley or sprocket 5201i the shaft 51 may beengaged with the chains or like members .7 5 which drive the itself. c

Notwithstanding th is jogger or other safeguards,foccasionally a board may jam in the discharge opening beneath the wall-34. Thisy 34 tof exerts a torce tending to move the wall 1n Figure To avoid damage to the vmachineand to the lumber,

justment of. theV wall 34 where it is removed The action is entirely automatic This eonsistsof a seriesy of verticallyV themagazine, supported from members 90, acted upon by cams. ,'50 carried upon a shaftl, and operable in time with the lugs Y2 to bump the bottom board: in the interval between discharge of: one'bcard and pick-up of the nextboard. To

or with one of theV latter chains ythe controls effecting lateral movement orv ad-V Y are'reversible when such torce isapplied, and the lateral forcey causes the wall to move out', away from the wall 33. To prevent ultimate damage., a

in the second instance.

switch arm 63 controlling a circuit to the motor 73 which drives the chains 7 is so disposed that the circuit will be broken upon Contact with the switch arm-by a member movable with the wall 34. Such a contact member might be positioned in many suitable places, and might assume various forms. 'As an illustration, I have shown a contact finger 86 on one of the shafts 83 (see Figures 3 and 11) positioned to engage the switch arm 63, supported on a bracket 832.

The machine would ordinarily be designed to accommodate boards from about four inches up to twelve inches in width, but for some purposes it may be desirable to dispose two six-inch boards in the magazine at one time side by side. In order to prevent jamming of the rear board, engaged by the lugs 72, with the rear edge of the board in the adjacent pile and just above the level of this rear board, it will be necessary to provide a slight step 93 (see Figure 4) which will slightly raise the forwardboard ofsuch a pair and overV whichv the rear board of such a pair will ride, as may be observed in dotted lines in Figure 4. p

It is not desirable to permit the printing dies 4 to move inward toward the position where a board should be unless there is a board in place against which the dies may strike. Furthermore, it is essentiall that the device be timed properly to print upon boards of different widths substantially midway between the two edges. Proper controls and adjustments for such purposes may be accomplished by the electrical means illustrated more or less diagr'ammatically in Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, and which will presently be explained.

Boards fed into the magazine at different times will vary greatly in length, and the rate of removalv by the lugs 72 and chains 7 must approximately correspond to the rate of delivery by the planer. The planer can deliver two twelve foot boards, comprising twenty-four'linear feet, in the same time required for the delivery of one twenty-four foot board, but at least two boa-rds must be taken from the bottom of the pile in the rst instance, during this time, in order to prevent the pile from ultimately reaching thek height of the planer bed and jamming the planer, whereas but one board needs to be removed The removal of two boards means that the chain 7 must run at suc-h a speed that two sets of lugs 72 pass across the magazine; the removal of one board in the same length of time requires only half the speed.

To acertain extent such variations can be taken care of by varying the speed of the motor. However, too great a speed of the chains will deplete ,the pile of boards in the magazine, and make it necessary for eachV 'board to bump across the frame stringers 9() at high speed, which is not desirable. A variable speed motor will not invariably give the right speed under all conditions, hence I prefer to provide an automatic means to stop the motor 73 and chains 7 when the pile of boards in the magazine has been reduced to one board, so that the continued discharge of boards from the planer will build up a pile in the magazine, and to start the motor again only when a pile of sufficient size has accumulated to run some little time without stopping-the motor being adjusted to run the chains at a speed approximately that required to remove the boards as fast as or just a trifle faster than they are supplied. This automatic start-stop'means may be a part of the electric arrangement, and is so illustrated in Figure 11.

The electrical controls shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 pertain more particularly to the controls for the printing mechanism and to the adjustment ofthe speed of the chains 7 to correspond to the different widths of boards, so that each board may be presented at the printing point in such position, and the printing mechanism operated at such time, that the printing dies will strike approximately midway between the edge of each f board. The electrical controls shown in Figure 11 pertain more especially to the control of the Vstarting and stopping of the chains 7 to compensate for a greater or lesser number of boards within the magazine.

Referring first to Figures 8, 9 and 10, current from the line is supplied to the two magnets 45 through circuits which include a timing switch. Thus a cylinder 64 of insulating material may be secured upon or driven in time with the shaft 52, and carries a strip 641 of conducting material, extending lengthwise. Held in a yoke 642 are pairs of brushes 643 and 644, and 645 and a brush complemental thereto but not shown. Thus the brush 643 and thebrush 645 are similar, each in its own pair, and the brush 644, being com-y plemental to the brush 643, has a counterpart which is complemental to the brush 645.

Considering iirst the brushes 643 and 644, it will be observed that current from the line, passing through Va safety or cut-out switch, represented at 60, passes by a'lead 646 to the brush 643, and a lead 647 returns the circuit from the brush 644 to the opposite side of the line, except as it is interrupted by a switch 61 and by the separation of thebrushes or contacts 643 and 644.l Assuming the switch 61 to be closed, the circuit is completed whenever the contact strip 641 passes beneath the two brushes 643 and`644, and this energizesv the solenoid or magnet 62 'and closes the switch 620 in the circuit 621 and the branch thereof 622, which includes the printing magnet 45. The result is, assuming the switch 61to be closed, the printing devices are'energizedeach time the contact strip 641 comes 651; ally supported arm 322. Two such arms around to the brushesV 643 and 644. By so supporting these brushes in the yoke 642,'and by providing a means to adjust this yoke angularly relative to the drum 64, the timing` vof this instant of contact to space the striking point of the die with relation to the face of the lugs 72, may be accomplished. This adjustment may be done by means of the arm 630, the link 631, the control handle 632, and the scale sector 633, graduated in suitable units, for instance, inches of width. As set in Figure 9, t-he printing device will operate upon boards of ten-inch width, the mid-point of the die striking the mid-point of the board as the latter advances.

For occasions when two boards are disposed side by side in the magazine, asshown in Figure 4, it is essential that the printing device be operated twice in rapid succession, and such boards ordinarily would be only of six-inch width, n Accordingly, by providing the eXtra leads 648 and 649, leading respectively from the main line or the lead 646 to the brush 645, and from the brush which is complemental thereto back to the other side of the line, or to the lead 647, it is possible to effect a second actuation Vof the printing mechanism when the contact strip 641 passes the brush 645 and its complemental brush. In order that the double acting mechanism may be inoperative whenever there is but one board to be printed at a time, a switch 640 is provided, normally interrupting one of these leads, for instance the lead 648.

In the system as described it has been assumed that the switch 61 remained closed, and there would be no need of such aswitch if it were a certainty that there would always be a board in position to print upon when theprinting mechanism is energized, but such is not always thecase. Adjacent the path of the boards as they are carried along the` frame members 90 is an arm 610 which is engaged by the board as the latter approaches printing position. This arm, mounted upon a rock shaft 611, controls an arm 612 normally held retracted by a spring 613, but

when pressed forward by engagement of the arm 610 with a board, this arm 612 depresses a button 614 to close the switch 61. Thus, until the board moves past the printing position, the switch 61 is held closed by the board itself, but if no board is in po-sition, the switch 61 is not closed and ofthe circuit will not become energized.

As seen in Figure 11, the motor 73 driving the chains 7 has associated with its crcuit a pair of spaced contact points 67 and i670, and also a pair of spaced contact points 671 and 672. Supportedwithin the magazine 3, to move with the buffer 30, and for convenience supported upon an extension 321 of its supporting carriage 32, is a pivot the remainder Vswitch 63, vpreviouslyv referred to.

may beemployed, or the one arm may carrytwo conducting bridge members 673 and 674 adapted to close the gap, respectively, b`e-y tween the contacts 67 and 670, and between the contacts671 and 672. The Contacts'671 and 672 preferably are yieldingly supported, as best shown in Figure 11.

As lumber piled within the magazine 3 planer will continue to deliverboards to the Y magazine, and though the gap between the contacts 67 and 670 is broken again,the controls are so arranged that the motor 173- will not again be energized until a considerable number of boards have been piled up inthe magazine, giving enough to run on for a time, at vthe normal rate of accretion, without danger of stoppage of the motor. When suflicient boards have been piled up, the arm 322 is raised until the gap betweenthe contacts 671 and 672 is closed,` and these are arranged to close the circuit to the motor 73 and start the same. z- I To accomplish these ends, a lead 675 runs from the main line to the contact point 67 2, and a branch 676 runs to the contact point 670. From the contact 671 a lead 68() runs to a coil 68, controlling movement of the core 681 and the head 682 thereon. Movement of this solenoid cor-e controls the opening and closing of a switch at 683 by means of a. pivoted arm 684. Vfhen the solenoid core 681 is permitted to drop, the switch at 683 is closed, but upon raising the solenoid core 681, the switch 683 is opened. Since the switch 683 is in the circuit of the solenoid itself,

this action de-energizes the solenoid, and it may be held in this position by the catch 660, controlled by movement of the core 661 under contacts 7 and 670 the influence of the coil 66. The coil 66is in- Y Y eluded in a circuit 662 andV 663. which runs to the motor 73 through the contact 67 andv when the gap between 67 and 670 is closed) the lead 676. 682 likewise carry contact members 664 and 685 respectively, to which are connected theV leads 666 and 686, which are directly .in the motor circuit.- The lead 677V comprises the other side of` the motor circuit, complemental to the lead 686. The latter lead 686, or thelead 677, may be'interrupted by the safety and stop switch maybe included at 65.

In the position of parts shown in Figure 11, current from the main line passes by the lead 676 to the contact 670, and when all but one of the boards in the magazine have been withdrawn, the arm 322 will drop to bridge'the VA start Y The catch 660 and the head gap between the contacts 670 and 67, and current will then pass by the lead 663 through the coil 66 and lead 662 back to the other side of the main line. The coil 66 will be energized, and the catch 660 will be withdrawn, breaking Contact between the contacts 664 and 685, and thereby breaking the circuit to the motor 73. Withdrawal ofthe catch 660 permits the solenoid core 681 to drop, and this closes the switch at 683, but the motor circuit is not closed thereby since there is a gap between the contacts 664 and 685. However, continued operation of the planer piles the boards higher in the magazine, until eventually the arm 322 is brought high enough to bridge the gap vbetween the contacts 671 and 'and thence back to the main line. lcourse of this, the coil 68 is energized and 672. At this time current Jfrom the main line passes by the Vlead 675 through the contacts 672 and 671 in turn, through the lead 680 and the coil 68, past the now closed switch 683, In the pulls upward the core 681, closing the circuit to the motor including the contacts 664 and 685. The switch arm 684 is thrown back, breaking the circuit at 683 through the coil 68, and the catch 660 engages and holds the head 682, whereby the motor circuit isfheld closed. Parts have now returned or will shortly return to the position of Figure 11.

IVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination, a conveyor table, means for advancing boards lengthwise and piling them upon said table, a magazine to receive said boards, and to align one end thereof, means to remove the lowermost board from the magazine and to advance it edgewise over the table, a saw disposed4 to trim the previously aligned end of boards thus advanced, printing mechanism disposed to engage the trimmed end of such boards, and means connecting the saw and printing mechanism for conjoint adjustment.

2. 1n combination, a conveyor table, means for advancing boards lengthwise and piling them upon said table, a magazine to receive said boards, and to align one end thereof, means to remove the lowermost board from the magazine and to advance it edgewise over the table, a saw disposed to trim the previously aligned end of boards thus advanced, printing mechanism disposed to engage the trimmed end of such boards, means connecting the saw and printing mechanism for conjoint adjustment, a second saw iixed in position to engage and trim the opposite end of such boards, as they advance, and a second printing mechanism xed in position to engage such latter end, following the trimming operation thereon.

3. In combination with means for advancing boards lengthwise, a magazine to receive and pile said boards,and to align one end thereof, means to remove the lowermost board from the magazine and to advance it edgewise, a saw disposed to engage and trim one end of each board, as previously aligned, as it advances, a second saw, and means sup-porting said second saw for adjustment lengthwise of the boards, to trim the opposite end.

- 4.v In combination with means for advancing boards lengthwise, and means at a lower level to move boards edgewise, a magazine to receive boards fromthe'first means and to pile them for delivery to the second means, comprising a wall to guide one edge of the boards, a second wall movable in a vertical plane to vary the spacing of its lower edge from the bottom of the magazine, butter means adjustable lengthwise of the magazine to stopfboards advancing into the magazine, and approximately to align them therein, and means disposed to engage and operate upon such aligned ends offboards as they advance edgewise beyond the magazine.

5. In combination with means for advancing boards lengthwise, and a magazine to receive and pile them, buffer means to approximately align the boards as received in the magazine, comprising a weight of considerable mass, relative to the boards, anv overhead support, and means suspending said weight from the overhead support. Y

6. In combination with means for advancing boards lengthwise, and a magazine to receive and pile them, buffer means to approximately align the boards as received in the magazine, comprising a weight of considerable mass, relative'to the boards, an overhead support, parallel links suspending said weight from the overhead support, and means to adjust the position of the buffer means lengthwise of the magazine.

7. In combination, a magazine to receive and pile boards, means to advance boards lengthwise into said magazine, means at la lower level to engage the lowermost board in the magazine and to move it edgewise therefrom and beyond, a saw adjustable in the direction of the boards length, and disposed to trim the previously leading end of 'a board as it now moves edgewise pastthe saw,and said magazine including a buffer member engageable by the leading end of the 'boards as they are advanced into the magazine to approximately align such ends, and means for simultaneously adjusting the buffer and saw.

8. 1n combination with two axially spaced saws, one ixed and the other movable towards and from the fixed saw, means to nearly align one end of each board of a pile with the plane of the movable saw, means connecting thevlatter means and the movable saw for like 'adjustifient, and means to advance such boards edgewise past the saws to trim their ends.

9. In combination with two axially spaced saws, one fixed and the other movable towards and 'from the ixed saw, a magazine for means connected for movementwith the movable saw, and

engageable With the leading end of boards as' they are fed intothe magazine to approxi mately align one end of each board with the plane of the movable Saw, and

means to advan sald magazine p Y ington, this llt ce such boards edgewise from ast the saws to trim their ends.

gned at Tacoma, Pierce County, fashh day of January 1932.

ALBERT H. ONSTAD. 

